Sunday, October 7, 2012

How To Be a Grouch

How to Be a Grouch- Book and Record Oscar the Grouch (Caroll E. Spinney) ~ Sesame Street Records, 1981

There are still so many things I want to share with you guys! Like the lovely box that arrived yesterday from Drawn & Quarterly (more later), and the fact that a cold front finally blew into San Antonio--a cold front so awesome and refreshing, it had my dogs wrestling until two in the morning. The fact that I'm in love with my new job and feel so blessed to be there. The fact that I'm going to see the new Tim Burton today! The fact that the boy is going to be Tintin for Halloween (pictures to come).

Not to mention the books piling up in my to-post pile.

Like this one, for example. I've been completely remiss in not posting this as part of my old school Muppet set. A few days ago, my son was in his room playing records on his Fisher Price, when all of a sudden, Carol Spinney's voice came dancing down the hall like an old friend calling me out to play. I don't think I can possible communicate how much I LOVED THIS BOOK AND RECORD when I was little. It is one of the most classic bits of Sesame Street memorabilia anyone can possibly own. A book all about how to be a grouch. Not only was it written by Caroll E. Spinney (aka Oscar the Grouch and Big Bird) but it was illustrated by him, as well, and it's his voice you hear on the audio.

Not to mention the fact that it's bloody hysterical. Case in point...

First of all -

If you want to be a grouch,

You'll have to stop being so

NICE AND CUTE!

Next - learn to frown!

Ah yes, in 24 fun-filled pages, Mr. Spinney gives us the skinny on all the crummy things you can do to get down with the garbage can gang. In addition, you discover all sorts of insights into the life of one, Oscar the Grouch; meet his family (I always liked Smiling George in the smiley face trash can), find out what makes him grouchy (birds that sing), where he likes to go on vacation (Mudville Flats), and what he likes to eat (cold turkey gravy on corn flakes). Every second of this book is awesome.

Originally published in 1976 as a Whitman Tell-a-Tale book, it was also adapted into an onscreen short that will be released as part of the upcoming Old School: Vol 3 DVD set. Every page is full of crummy advice and situations: "Going to a Grouch Movie - First, you wait in a very slow ticket line, then a grouchy usher yells at you to get your feet off the seat. The best part comes when the movie machine breaks down!" It's so great to hear Oscar's voice spitting out all his rotten routines. Possible the most awesome sauce part comes with Oscar's last piece of advice.

This is hands down my daughter's favorite Sesame Street story! (This story is now also available as part of a collection in the 'Sesame Street Treasury', which is full of great Sesame stories, poems and songs :)